Early Canon SLR telephoto for the rare Canon R mount from the Canonflex era.
The Canon R 135mm f/3.5 is a telephoto lens for Canon's short-lived R mount, used on the original Canon SLR cameras before the switch to the FL and FD mount systems. The Canon R mount was Canon's first SLR lens mount, used on the Canonflex and Canon R2000 cameras during the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Optical quality is good with a straightforward telephoto design that delivers sharp, contrasty images. The f/3.5 aperture is adequate for portrait and telephoto work in reasonable lighting conditions. Canon's coating technology provides effective flare control for a lens of this era, maintaining clean image quality in varied conditions.
Build quality is excellent with the heavy chrome and brass construction typical of Canon's early SLR lenses. The mechanical quality is superb with smooth helicoid focusing and precise aperture operation. The Canon R mount is a breech-lock design that provides a secure, wobble-free lens-to-body connection.
Primarily a collector's piece due to the extreme rarity of Canon R mount bodies, this lens appeals to Canon historians and collectors of early SLR equipment. On the used market, Canon R mount lenses are uncommon and command prices reflecting their scarcity and historical significance as Canon's first SLR system optics.